Improvement in bee-hives



UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BURNHAM, OF MILAN, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT lN BEE-HIVES.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 195,089, dated September 11, 1877; application filed April 12,1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BURNHAM, of Milan, in the county of Washtenaw and in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a bee-hive, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of my bee-hive. Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of parts thereof.

A represents the body of the hive, provided with an inclined bottom, sloping toward the front and extending beyond the entrance a, to form the alighting-board B. Within the hive A is a series of comb-frames, O G, constructed as shown, so as to fit close together on the ends, and the two side frames closed by means of boards 0, thereby forming a double hive, which is of great advantage in wintering bees, and is, at the same time, cheap in construction and easily made. These frames are, at the top, provided with strips 1), of paper or other suitable material, extending any desired distance downward, to prevent the bees from building the comb crosswise.

On top of the frames 0 is a honey-board, which is made in seven sections. The two sections D D are permanently attached to the top of the two closed side frames. Then three sections, D D D are framed into and connect the two sections D D, one at the front, one at the back, and one in the center, leaving two rectangular openings, which are closed by the two sections D D. The sections D are only removed when the lower frames are to be taken out, while the sections D are to be removed when the upper frames are put on to receive honey.

G G are the honey-frames in the top of the hive. These frames are arranged in two series, of six each, more or less, and are constructed to fit close together at the top and sides; and at the ends of each of said series are glass plates G the whole being held together by a spring-wire clamp, G having its two ends at w bent down, as shown, thus formingtwohoneyboxes, which are then covered by the cap or roof H of the hive. These frames G are also provided at the top with partitions b, of paper or other suitable material, extending part of the way downward, which prevents the building of the comb crosswise.

The entrance at at the front of the hive is provided with a gate, I, pivoted at one end, and fastened at the other end by a suitable catch. In this gate areventilating-openings t i, and also an opening, 0, for the entrance of the bees, and this opening is provided with a slide, 01, for regulating, its size or closing it altogether, when desired. By means of the slide 01 the bee-entrance may be partially closed in damp or wet weather, or closed entirely, when desired.

By unhooking the gate I and raising the same, the hive can be easily cleaned at any time desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the frames 0, the stationary side pieces D D and the removable end and center pieces D D D and the independently-removable sections D D all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The pivoted gate I, extending the entire width of the hive, provided with ventilating-openings i, bee-entrance e, and slide 01, and arranged in connection with the beeentrance of the hive A, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of April, 1877.

JOHN BURNHAM.

Witnesses:

A. B. HANSON, DAVID BLAOKM'EN. 

